Self-sealing container



,Nov. 29, 1949 TOTMAN 2,489,989

SELF- SEALING CONTAINER Filed Sept. 25, 1947 Fig. 40 28 ,8

42 30 24 20 i ii 41TH 1 11 IIIIIIH In ten tar Harold L Tofman PatentedNov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-SEALING CONTAINER HaroldL. Totmaii, Belleville, Wis.

Application September 23, 1947, Serial No. 775,672

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in containers suchas the type used for evaporated milk or the like and the primary objectof the present invention is to provide a container having a plurality ofvents therein that are so designed as to permit gas forming within thecontainer during the sterilization process to escape therefrom.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide acontainer of the aforementioned character including novel and improvedvalve means for controlling the above described vents so that bacterialaden air within the container will be forced from the container duringthe sterilization process, tending to Shorten the length of timenormally necessary for the sterilization process.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a containerhaving a closure with a plurality of air vents, a resilient valve platecontrolling said vents and novel and improved means for connecting thevalve to the closure and for filling the container.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a containerthat is so designed as to eliminate the objectionable canned taste ofthe fluid within the container and one that is simple and practical inconstruction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive inappearance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise welladapted for the purposes for which the same is intended Other objectsand advantages reside in the details of construction and operation asmore fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals referto like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the container constructed inaccordance with the present invention and with parts broken away andshown in section for the convenience of explanation;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure l and showing the filler to besealed;

Figure 3 is a top plan View of Figure 1 and showing the filler tube andvent closing valve removed therefrom;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of the vent closing valve; and,

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the numeral l0 represents a cylindrical body of the presentcan or container to 2 Claims. (01. 220-44) which is rigidly secured bysolder or the like, the annular flanged portion l2 of a lower closureplate l4 and an upper closure plate it.

The upper closure plate i6 is provided with an 1 outer circular recessedportion I8, an inner enlarged central recessed portion 20 and anintermediate annular recessed portion 22. The inner portion of theclosure l6, forming the bottom wall or bearing surface 24 for thecentral recessed portion 20 is provided with a central aper ture 26 thatengages a filler tube 23. An annu lar bearing ring 39 is integrallyformed with the inner end of the tube 28 and frictionally bears againstthe inner face of wall 24.

The outer end of the tube 28 is turned outwardly to provide an annularlip 32 that frictionally bears against the outer face of a retainingplate 34 forming the wearing surface for a closure valve 36. The innerface of the plate 34 frictionally bears upon the outer face of aresilient disk 38 with the annular inclined flange 40 of the plate 34embracing the outer edge of the disk 38 to prevent disengagement ormovement of the disk relative to the retaining plate.

A group of circumferentially spaced air or gas vents 42 are provided inthe wall 24 and these vents are spaced equidistant from the filler tube28 so that an equal pressure of gas formed in the body evolving from theproduct in the body will act upon the valve 36 to force the sameoutwardly from the vents 42 which the valve opposes, so that thepressure of gas within the body, above the atmospheric pressure, mayescape. Once the gas has escaped the disk 33 will frictionally adhere tothe outer face of wall 24 to close the vents.

In practical use of the device, a fluid is placed into the body throughthe filler tube 28 and a plug 44 of solder, or the like, is rigidlysecured to the outer end of the filler tube 28. The bacteria laden airwithin the body escapes from the vents in a manner previously describedwhen the filled body is placed in a conventional steam pressuresterilizer, leaving a vacuum in the body, above the fluid, instead of anair space. As the length of the sterilization period is dependent uponthe amount of bacteria within the body, by exhausting the bacteria ladenair through the vents 32, the normal period of sterilization is reduced.During this sterilization, the fluid when heated to a certaintemperature, boils freely and stirs itself, and also emits a gas whichis exhausted through the vents in the closure. t is this gas, which isnot allowed to escape from the body, that gives the fluid a cannedtaste. In

containers now employed, the fiuid absorbs the gas, thus producing anundesirable taste.

After the container has cooled, after sterilization, the vacuum insidethe same draws the disk 38 against the outer face of wall 24 to seal thevents.

It should be noted, that the container may be filled and soldered in theconventional manner by standard filing machines whereby the device maybe manufactured without the necessity of employing essential types ofmachines in conjunction therewith.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it.

is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operationand advantages of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled inthis art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprebended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

I. A closure for containers comprising a plate having; a centralrecessed portion and an inner wall; a plurality of air vents provided insaid inner wall, a resilient disk positioned in said recess bearing uponsaid inner wall for normally closing and sealing the air vents, saiddisk being lifted to open said air vents from an internal pressurewithin the container, a filler tube fixedly securing said disk to saidclosure, and a plug for sealing said filler tube.

2. A container closure comprising a plate having a central recessedportion and an inner wall, a plurality of air vents. provided in saidinner Wall, a resilient disk positioned in said recess and bearingagainst said inner wall for normally closing and sealing the air vents,said disk being lifted to open said air vents from the pressure of a gasevolving from the fluid product within the, container, a retaining platebearing upon the outer face of said disk, a filler tube carried by saiddisk and said retainer plate, said tube being secured to central portionof said closure, and a plug for sealing said filler tube.

HAROLD L. TOTMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,941,048 Punte Dec. 26, 19332,307,043 Hothersall Jan. 5, 1943 2,429,984 Berglund Nov. 4, 19472,436,566 Goldberg Feb. 24, 1948

